Waistcoat
PeriodCirca 1750 - 1770, remade 1859
Place MadeEngland or U.S.A.
MediumSilk satin, linen, cotton, brass
Dimensions23.5 in. (59.7 cm)
ClassificationsCostume, Men's
Credit LineGift of Mrs. William Toan Mills, 1960
Object number2021.504
DescriptionA man's waistcoat of soft ivory silk satin, with a narrow standing collar and eight hook-and-eye closures down the front. A slanted bound slash pocket at the upper left side and two flap pockets located at the hips. The back of the vest is of plain woven off-white cotton with a cotton lining. The front of the vest is lined with off-white linen. The waistcoat can be adjusted with two simple cotton tape ties sewn to the upper back, and a pair of sturdy cotton tabs sewn to the back waist, fitted with a gold buckle inscribed "L.M. / 1859." The front of the vest is ornamented with bright polychrome silk embroidery in a floral and foliate pattern down the front of both sides of the waistcoat and along the hip area below the pockets. The pocket flaps are also fully embroidered, and small floral sprigs are scattered on both the left and right front panels. A narrow dark red piping runs down both front edges and continues along the cutaway lower portion to the sides. Both pocket flaps are piped in dark red as well.Curatorial RemarksThis beautifully and colorfully embroidered man's waistcoat was originally made in about 1750. Panels of silk were often embroidered in England or France, with all the pieces of the waistcoat marked and outlined, including pocket flaps and decorative button covers. These panels could then be purchased by tailors on both sides of the Atlantic and made up to the wearer's specifications. This garment appears to have been reworked at some point, most likely in 1859. Areas of the original embroidery have been cut away, refashioning the waistcoat into a more mid-nineteenth century silhouette. There are indications that the original waistcoat was made with the longer "skirts" popular in the mid 18th century. The waistcoat also includes a small gold buckle at the back of the waist, allowing the garment to be fitted more closely to the wearer. The buckle is inscribed "L M / 1859," and is currently a mystery.NotesThis beautifully embroidered man's waistcoat was worn by William Toan Mills (1812 - 1884). Mills was born in 1812 in New York, New York. He married Monmouth County resident Eleanor Ten Eyck Perrine (1810 - 1867) in 1831. The couple had four children. The couple lived for many years in Brooklyn. Mills was, according to his obituary, one of the largest property owners in Brooklyn and New Jersey. In the late 1850s and early 1860s, Mills prospered in the milk business, "but owing to depreciation of real estate and other causes the bulk of it had disappeared long ago," according to the Brooklyn Daily Eagle in 1884. Mills also ran a successful and lucrative stage coach line in Brooklyn. In the 1855 New York State Census, Mills listed himself as "Stage Proprietor." In the 1860 Federal Census, Mills' real estate holdings were valued at $200,000, while his personal estate was valued at $20,000. In the 1860, 1865, and 1875 censuses, Mills described himself as "Gentleman."
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